[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 24931]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



          HONORING THE MEL BLOUNT YOUTH HOME OF GEORGIA, INC.

 Mr. CLELAND. Mr President, I rise today to honor the 
contributions of the Mel Blount Youth Home of Georgia, Inc. The primary 
mission of the Mel Blount Youth Home is to provide youth with the 
guidance, education, and life skills needed to get their lives back on 
track, resulting in self sufficient, productive contributors to 
society.
  The Mel Blount Youth Home of Georgia, Inc., was founded in 1983 by 
Melvin and Clinton Blount. It is located in Vidalia, Georgia, and 
offers an alternative for troubled youths who have not been successful 
in their home environment. The home is licensed by the State of Georgia 
and serves youth from all around the country to meet the spiritual, 
educational, physical, and emotional needs of all children 
participating in the program.
  The Mel Blount Youth Home program places an emphasis on academics, 
discipline and hard work with a consistent effort to meet the spiritual 
and emotional needs of young men placed the program. The average stay 
is from nine to eighteen months. Residents attend school on the grounds 
of the home and can earn credits toward graduation upon returning to 
high school at home. A GED program in collaboration with Southeastern 
Technical Institute is also offered. The academic program consists of a 
curriculum designed for youth who have been left behind in public 
school, with tutors available to work with each child on an individual 
basis.
  The Mel Blount Youth Home of Georgia provides young men of diverse 
backgrounds and cultures who have experienced difficulty adjusting 
during adolescence a secure and safe haven to grow and develop. The 
home provides a family setting with a spiritual base in addition to a 
foundation which places high emphasis on education, hard work and 
discipline. For some youth, the Mel Blount Youth home is the only place 
they can call home.
  Every child deserves to grow and develop in an environment where they 
are nurtured and molded by hands and hearts that care. Different 
circumstances have brought each child to the Mel Blount Youth Home, but 
all have come with a quiet hope of restarting their lives. At this 
home, they get a second chance.
  I ask my colleagues in this body to join me in recognizing the 
noteworthy and noble mission of this great institution.

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